1. Proper Reason
2. Proper Mind
3. Proper Intelligence
4. Proper Thought
5. Proper Understanding

The Blessed One replied: All things of this world, be they seemingly good or bad, faulty or faultless, effect-producing or not effect-producing, receptive or non-receptive, may be divided into two classes: evil out-flowings and the non out-flowing good. The five grasping elements that make up the aggregates of personality, namely, form, sensation, perception, discrimination, and consciousness, and that are imagined to be good and bad, have their rise in the habit-energy of the mind-system,–they are the evil out-flowings of life. The spiritual attainments and the joys of the Samadhis and the fruitage of the Samapattis that come to the wise through their self-realisation of Noble Wisdom and that culminate in their return and participation in the relations of the triple world are called the non out-flowing good.

The mind-system which is the source of the evil out-flowings consists of the five sense-organs and their accompanying sense-minds (vijnanas) all of which are unified in the discriminating-mind (manovijnana). There is an unending succession of sense-concepts flowing into this discriminating or thinking-mind which combines them and discriminates them and passes judgement upon them as to their goodness or badness. Then follows aversion to or desire for them and attachment and deed; thus the entire system moves on continuously and closely bound together. But it fails to see and understand that what it sees and discriminates and grasps is only a manifestation of its own activity and has no other basis, and so the mind goes on erroneously perceiving and discriminating differences of forms and qualities, not remaining still even for a minit.

In the mind-system there are three modes of activity distinguishable: the sense-minds functioning while remaining in their original nature, the sense-minds as producing effects, and the sense-minds as evolving. By normal functioning the sense-minds grasp appropriate elements of their external world, by which sensation and perception arise at once and by degrees in every sense-organ and every sense-mind, in the pores of the skin, and even in the atoms that make up the body, by which the whole field is apprehended like a mirror reflecting objects, and not realising that the external world itself is only a manifestation of mind. The second mode of activity produces effects by which these sensations react on the discriminating mind to produce perceptions, attractions, aversions, grasping, deed and habit. The third mode of activity has to do with the growth, development and passing of the mind-system, that is, the mind-system is in subjection to its own habit-energy accumulated from beginningless time, as for instance: the “eyeness” in the eye that predisposes it to grasp and become attached to multiple forms and appearances. In this way the activities of the evolving mind-system by reason of its habit-energy stirs up waves of objectivity on the face of Universal Mind which in turn conditions the activities and evolvement of the mind-system.

Appearances, perception, attraction, grasping, deed, habit, reaction, condition one another incessantly, and the functioning sense-minds, the discriminating-mind and Universal Mind are thus bound up together. Thus, by reason of discrimination of that which by nature is maya-like and unreal false-imagination and erroneous reasoning takes place, action follows and its habit-energy accumulates thereby defiling the pure face of Universal Mind, and as a result the mind-system comes into functioning and the physical body has its genesis. But the discriminating-mind has no thought that by its discriminations and attachments it is conditioning the whole body and so the sense-minds and the discriminating-mind go on mutually related and mutually conditioned in a most intimate manner and building up a world of representations out of the activities of its own imagination. As a mirror reflects forms, the perceiving senses perceive appearances which the discriminating-mind gathers together and proceeds to discriminate, to name and become attached to. Between these two functions there is no gap, nevertheless, they are mutually conditioning. The perceiving senses grasp that for which they have an affinity, and there is a transformation takes place in their structure by reason of which the mind proceeds to combine, discriminate, apprise, and act; then follows habit-energy and the establishing of the mind and its continuance.

The discriminating-mind because of its capacity to discriminate, judge, select and reason about, is also called the thinking, or intellectual-mind. There are three divisions of its mental activity: mentation which functions in connection with attachment to objects and ideas, mentation that functions in connection with general ideas, and mentation that examines into the validity of these general ideas. The mentation which functions in connection with attachment to objects and ideas derived from discrimination, discriminates the mind from its mental processes and accepts the ideas from it as being real and becomes attached to them. A variety of false judgements are thus arrived at as to being, multiplicity, individuality, value, etc., a strong grasping takes place which is perpetuated by habit-energy and thus discrimination goes on asserting itself.

These mental processes give rise to general conceptions of warmth, fluidity, motility, and solidity, as characterising the objects of discrimination, while the tenacious holding to these general ideas gives rise to proposition, reason, definition, and illustration, all of which lead to the assertions of relative knowledge and the establishment of confidence in birth, self-nature, and an ego-soul.

By mentation as an examining function is meant the intellectual act of examining into these general conclusions as to their validity, significance, and truthfulness. This is the faculty that leads to understanding, right-knowledge and points the way to self-realisation. (Lankavatara Sutra)

“Shambhala is real and waiting for the serious seeker to enter. How is this accomplished?”

You can also follow Netaji on Twitter

The Six Ideals are:

1. Charity

2. Good behaviour

3. Patience

4. Zeal

5. Thoughtfulness

6. Wisdom

“When the form of the rope is understood, the appearance of a serpent disappears. So too when the ultimate reality is realised, the universe vanishes.” (Sri Shankaracarya)

The body is only a shell for one particular phase of life. Once this is realised, the body is less important than the soul – for the body is only going to one place – the grave, but the soul has choices and the results are eternal.

There is no realisation without true knowledge. One does not gain a lifetime of knowledge in the span of one night or even one month. Questionable are those who claim the title of guru and who misguide their devotees with false knowledge leading to an eternity of darkness. True knowledge is gained gradually, in meditation, in ones day to day life, in interaction with others, over an entire lifetime. It can not be gained in this lifetime. Learn a little now, become awake and you will be taught true knowledge which leads to full enlightenment in the hereafter, after the soul has shed the body of flesh.

“The control of the senses, the control of the intellect, the avoidance of unreality, spiritual silence, place, time, posture, the subdual of the root-cause, the equipoise of the body, the firmness of vision, the control of life-forces, the withdrawal of consciousness, the holding of consciousness, self-contemplation, and absorption,—these, in order, are said to be the steps.” (Sri Shankaracarya)

Truly, these are the practices that cause a being to be awakened, bringing ones soul closer to the path of full enlightenment.

If you keep yourself on this path and continue in these auspicious practices, you will become awakened and be prepared for full enlightenment. This is something that Vishnu promises to each of you who take these practices to heart and observe them in your daily lives, neglecting not a single one of them. These are the steps on the path of true knowledge and full liberation.

May Divine Mother bless you.

See also: The Denunciation of False Teachers

282. Moreover, the nature of doer, etc., that belongs to the conditioning
mind, is attributed to the self, just as the motion, etc., of water is
attributed to the refection of the moon therein.

283. Passions, desires, happiness, misery, etc., exercise their function
when the consciousness is present, and do not exist in deep sleep when the
consciousness is absent. They belong, therefore, to the consciousness and
not to the self.

284. As light is the very nature of the sun, coldness of water, heat of
fire, so are being, consciousness, bliss, eternity and absoluteness the
very nature of the self.
285. By indiscriminately mixing up the aspect of being and consciousness
of the self with the function of the individual consciousness, there
springs up the idea “I know.”

286. The self undergoes no modification, nor can knowledge arise in any
manner from individual consciousness alone. And yet, one ignorantly
imagines that the individual soul knows, does and sees everything well.
287. By mistaking the self to be the individual soul, as a rope for a
serpent, one is subject to fear. But if he realises, “I am not the
individual soul, but the Supreme Self,” then he is free from fear.

288. The self alone illumines the consciousness; the senses, etc., as a
light reveals the pot and other objects; but one’s own self is not
illumined by the illuminable objects.

289. The very nature of the self being knowledge, it does not depend, for
a knowledge of itself, on any other knowledge, in the same way as a light
does not need another light to reveal itself.

290. Eliminating all limitations with the help of the passage “not this,
not this,” one should realise the identity of the individual soul and the
supreme self by means of the principal scriptural passages.

291. The body and other objects of perception are the products of
ignorance and are as evanescent as bubbles. The self that is unconditioned
is other than these and should be understood as “Being One with Lord
Vishnu.”

Mara, the author of chaos, has trapped many of these human beings in a web of total confusion, causing them to believe falsehood as truth. In these times people are desperately seeking alternatives to what the more traditional religious institutes are offering. As such, these individuals often become vulnerable, eventually allowing their hearts and minds to be controlled by Mara and his agents.

There have been several questionable groups, especially within the last thirty years that have been spreading falsehoods throughout the world concerning Lord Maitreya. Some of the false teachers within these cults have been attempting to identify Lord Maitreya with certain political leaders, or claiming that they themselves are Maitreya. Their teachings are detestable to say the least. Lord Maitreya can never be compared to any human being.

Maitreya is the Lord of the universe; He is the highest Refuge for all of humanity; He is Omnipresent and He is God. He has no need of setting up political campaigns or making cameo appearances on television as one “new age” group has recently been promoting! What people are experiencing with these false religious institutes is nothing more than spiritual delusion and abuse at the hands of mere human beings.

False teachers come and go like rotting food. Do not be attracted to the vibrant colours of mould that they produce. Their alternative, so-called spirituality, is deadly. Anything less than the real Maitreya is a fake. Do not be fooled by these false teachers.

I utterly detest all falsehood, lies and deceit, and as such I denounce anyone or any institute, no matter how small or great, that promotes a false Maitreya, vowing to expose them for the snake oil salesmen they are.

This statement can also be found at: Pathway to Kailasa

Never count your faults. Just think whether you love The Devata enough. He doesn’t mind your faults. He minds your indifference.

I scold those who listen, but not those who don’t.

The mind is like a rubber band. The more you pull on it, the farther it will stretch.

The more you do what your mind tells you, the more you will become a slave. But the more you do Guru’s will, the more you find yourself becoming inwardly freed.

Keep your mind always in engaged in serving the Devata, whether meditating or serving Him through others. An idle mind is the workshop of the Destroyer.

Karma is best worked out by meeting life’s tests cheerfully adn courageously. If you still fear something, that karma has not yet been worked out. To dissipate it, don’t try to avoid the tests you have to face. Rise above them bravely, by dwelling in The Devata’s joy within.

If you criticize others judgmentally, rather than simply commenting on their behaviour impartially, that shows that you have their faults to work on in yourself. By criticizing other, moreover, you increase those faults in yourself. What you condemn in others, you will have to experience, someday, yourself. That is karmic law. In that way, people are taught compassion.

The company you keep cannot but influence you, especially if you keep that company by choice. My Master (Sri Yukteswar) used to say, therefore, ‘Keep a spiritual bodyguard with you when mixing with others.’ I have always obeyed his advice. I’ve made it a point to surround myself with a few spiritual Atmans. Most of the time, however, I prefer to be alone with The Devata.

A spiritual disease worse even than ignorance is indifference. Linked to it is the habit of distracting the mind. As soon as you find yourself with a little leisure on your hands, you pick up a magazine, or turn on the radio. Such things can be poison. Anything that relaxes your vigilance is a threat to your spiritual life.

As long as you make the effort, the Devata will never let you down.

Do not seek honour in The Devata’s work. Whoever seeks it will receive dishonour. If what you seek, however, is not honour, but the glory of The Devata, you will recieve from His own hand His infinite blessedness.

Above everything else, be loyal to the Devata. Devote more time to seeking Him. And be less concerned over lesser duties which, someday, won’t exist anymore anyway. In those lesser preoccupations lies the greatest delusion. Never look upon them as, in themselves, important. Nothing is so pressingly important as your daily tryst with the Devata.

Very seldom does man realize his ill-health, success, and wisdom depend in great part on the issue of the battle between his good and bad habits. He who would establish within himself the rule of the Atman must not allow the bodily kingdom to be occupied by bad habits.

By constant self-indulgence, the ordinary person remains sense ensnared. He finds himself limited to enjoyments connected only with the surface of the flesh.  (Sri Yogananda Sutra vss. 129-143)

The Random House Dictionary (2009) defines the word “reincarnation” to mean, “the belief that the soul, upon death of the body, comes back to earth in another body or form.”  Is reincarnation true?  Do human beings, when they die, come “back to earth in another body or form”?  Is reincarnation a myth?

Update to this article… For more information on this subject, visit this link which gives the Mingjiao Buddhist view of reincarnation.

347. When your body is fit, you can do anything-bhajans, japa, yoga. Phuro! In order to do karma, it is vital to keep your body healthy. So follow these teachings about cleanliness and health and teach others, also.

348. You have come here, making a supreme effort, crossing seas and mountains like Hanuman. The fact is, you made a total effort. Phuro! You have achieved a great task! Your devotion is very deep; there can be no doubt about it. Just as Hanuman showed his profound devotion to Lord Rama, so you, too, have proved your devotion to the Lord.

349. Now there is great turmoil in the world. There is total insecurity with every step. To come here at such a time as this is great significance. Now at every moment man has to face death. No one knows what the next moment will bring. Every moment is full of uncertainty. This is the situation for everyone now. This is why I am telling you that you are all very fortunate to be arriving here during times like this.

350. The world is transitory. You will find stability only on the path of karma yoga. Only action can take a man to God and give him liberation. The law of karma is so deep that no words are great enough to describe it. The day karma stops on this earth will be the day of its dissolution (pralaya).

351. Brave ones, all of you, continue to work! Through karma alone will you be able to change the world. It is the only way.

352. Today the world is playing with fire. We have to be ready to face fire, water and great storms and not be shaken. We have to go beyond the hope of life and the fear of death. Whatever happens we must go ahead. Then only can we benefit the world. We have to bring the path of karma into the light. Now the world is in deep darkness. The Revolution spreading in this world can be controlled by karma alone.

353. I think it was like this: some shrewd people invented all the differences in order to divide people, to be able to rule over them. So they created castes, their aim being to divide and rule. Differences were created for selfish motives. There are people in this world who, when they see someone else’s house is burning, are happy. There are people who want to live in comfort at the expense of the labour of others. There is only one God, who created all men in His image. This is why we have to re-establish humanity.

354. What I want to instil in man is courage. I want to have a creation of courageous people. Only courageous people can come here. Only courageous people can survive such critical times. I have spoken to you many times about the extent of the calamities to come. They will be so terrible that people without courage will die instantly from heart failure. We have to have the courage to face floods, fire and storms We have to go beyond the fear of death and the hope of life.

355. I want a creation where there is no dependence of any kind. Everyone should be able to stand on his/her own two feet. The problems of all countries can be solved when everyone becomes hard working. As long as there is laziness in the world, people cannot attain happiness. Today’s world leaders have created circumstances, which make it difficult even to breath. If you are active and hard working you can do everything yourselves. Materialism is rising like a great storm and we have to face it.

356. I have told you before that through Karma Yoga alone can you attain liberation. Karma Yoga can fulfill any material desire you may have, as well. Karma Yoga is Supreme Yoga. Lord Rama and Lord Krishna taught this, too. Not only did they teach it, they also practiced it and were successful in it.

105. Dala (sedge) does not grow in large and pure water-tanks, but in small stagnant and miasmatic pools. Similarly, Dala (schism) does not take place in a party whose adherents are guided by pure, broad, and unselfish motives, but it takes firm root in a party whose advocates are given to selfishness, insincerity, and bigotry. (‘Dala,’ in Bengali, means both sedges and schism.)

106. The Yogins and Samyasins are like snakes. The snake never digs a hole for itself, but it lives in the hole made by the mouse. When one hole becomes uninhabitable, it enters into another hole. So the Yogins and the Samyasins make no houses for themselves; they pass their days in other men’s houses– to-day in one house, to-morrow in another.

107. The sage alone can recognise a sage. He who deals in cotton twists can alone tell of what number and quality a particular twist is made.

108. A sage was lying in a deep trance (Samadhi) by a roadside; a thief passing by, saw him, and thought within himself, This fellow, lying here, is a thief. He has been breaking into some house by night, and now sleeps exhausted. The police will very soon be here to catch him. So let me escape in time.’ Thus thinking, he ran away. Soon after a drunkard came upon the sage, and said, Hallo! thou hast fallen into the ditch by taking a drop too much. I am steadier than thou, and am not going to tumble.’ Last of all came a sage, and understanding that a great sage was in a trance (Samadhi), he sat down, and touched him, and began to rub gently his holy feet.

109. An itinerant Sadhu came once upon the Kali temple of Rani Rasamani, and seeing a dog eating the remains of a feast, he went up to him and said, embracing him, ‘Brother, how is it that thou eatest alone, without giving me a share?’ So saying, he began to eat along with the dog. The people of the place naturally thought him mad, but when standing before the temple of the The goddess, he began to chant forth some hymns in praise of Kali, and the temple appeared to shake through the fervour of his devotion. Then the people knew him to be a great Sadhu. The true Sadhus roam about like children or mad men, in dirty clothes, and various other disguises.

110. The true religious man is he who does not do anything wrong or act impiously when he is alone, i.e. when there is none to look after and blame him.

111. In the Bengali alphabet no three letters are alike in sound except the three sibilants (Sa, sha, and sa), all meaning ‘forbear,’ ‘forbear,’ ‘forbear.’ This shows that even from our childhood we are made to learn forbearance in our very alphabets. The quality of forbearance is of the highest importance to every man.

112. Sugar and sand may be mixed together, but the ant rejects the sand and goes off with the sugargrain; so pious men sift the good from the bad.

The Seven Gateways to remove these obstacles are: 1. Humiltiy 2. Karuna (Compassion) 3. Love 4. Non-Attachment 5. Denial of the Ego 6. Development of Innocent Mind, Innocent Heart, Innocent Body 7. Seva.

We counter the obstacle of Power seeking with Humble ways of living. We counter the obstacle of Cruelty with Karuna. We counter the obstacle of Hatred with unconditional love. We counter the obstacle of Materialism with Non-Attachment. We counter the obstacle of Ego with denial of the Ego. We counter the obstacle of Sensual Obsession and Misconduct with the development of innocent Mind, Innocent Heart and Innocent Body.

Because God is the Complete Whole, even though there are many comprehensive units which radiate from Him as light reflecting off of a mirror, He remains the Supreme Complete Balance and is above all things.

Although in modern politics the post of monarch is abolished, the president is not held responsible for the comforts of the citizens. In this age of Kali, the executive head of a state somehow or other gets votes and is elected to an exalted post, but the condition of the citizens continues to be full of anxiety, distress, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction. (Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

404. Leaving behind the fear of death and the hope of life, you must advance. You should not be afraid of fire or water. When the need arises, we will have to jump into the ocean; when the time comes, we must be prepared to jump into the fire. That is-why all of you must be as firm and stable as Mount Meru. The thing is that this whole world is transitory – why do you entertain confusion in your minds? You must have only one aim, one goal, to serve every living being in the universe.

405. We must depend on ourselves and not lay our burden on others. Our security is in our own hands.

406. Only those who are very alert and careful can be successful in their life. Everyone who comes here must consider himself a yogi; yogis have to be very alert.

407. This entire world is transitory, only God’s Name is eternal. The fact is that the geography, the structure of the world is always changing. The fact is that if you are not able to learn anything from such experienced, learned people (as Babaji spoke just before), and then you are the most unfortunate of people. There is one thing I want to tell you all. In whatever way you can, you should come here and be benefited and liberated. To attain salvation is the highest achievement of man. You must seek liberation and help to liberate others. The fact is that the world is transitory. That I have told you repeatedly.

408. The fact is that all of you have assembled here at the foot of the beautiful and pleasant Mount Kailash. You all are sitting in the courtyard of that beautiful cave, the greatness of which has been described in the Vedas. And you arc the most fortunate ones in the whole universe-you are all witnessing and enjoying the first new sunrise of the New Year in this very holy and beautiful valley of the Himalayas. At one time this whole valley was covered by snow and the mountains Were covered by snow. I have told you the mystery of this place. My brothers, this is the real, original Kailash. Mahadeva (Lord Shiva) resided here with Mother Parvati for thousands and millions of years. Even before the whole of Creation, this place was here. I have told you before the story of Mansarovar (Kailash). When Manu (the first man) was created, he wished that the Creation would be expanded. He performed penance and yagya there. He installed a symbol of Lord Shiva there. This give rise to the name of Mansarovar for the lake – from his name, Manu Considering all these facts, you can conclude that this is the original Mount Kailash. This is the only mount where the gods, goddesses, sages and seers and the angels (gandharvas) reside. Now all of you can understand the great significance of this holy place. It is the greatest holy place of the world. There are many holy places that are limited to a particular religion. There have been and are many temples, churches and religious centers, but this is the only universal pilgrim center. That is what gives this place its great significance. All the gods and goddesses-the divine beings – reside in the mountains around here.

409. The time of great difficulty is coming. Only those will be saved whom Shri Babaji wants saved. They will be saved by His Grace: no medicine, no guns will work unless Shri Babaji wants the person saved. This is how Babaji will accomplish His work.

189. I want you to cooperate in spreading the word throughout the world that a revolution is coming. You must publish it in all the newspapers and broadcast it through the media. Tell them a revolution is coming. You must all become brave like soldiers for your country.

190. You must all consider yourselves soldiers of your countries, and spread my word by every means available, throughout the world. Repeat OM NAMAHA SHIVAYA and pursue your devotional practices.

191. Humanity is making a grave mistake by misusing non-violence. Time and again I have said this to you.

192. You have come into the world to work. You must always be eager to work. The one who is idle is like a dead man. You have come to this world – live, not to die.

193. Work, which I want to accomplish, is to remove the misuse of non-violence. People have become lifeless and their blood has become like water. You should be brave and courageous-afraid of nothing.  You should not be afraid of being burned by fire or drowned by water. If you are brave and courageous, nothing will harm you, not even nuclear war. You must be fearless for yourself and for all humanity.

194. I do not recognize castes and races. I behold only one humanity. I am working for mankind while here. Over half of my work is finished. There are devotees working all over the world. I will complete the rest of my work while here.

195. You must all sing Bhajans (devotional songs), wherever you are. In your countries, you should assemble at least weekly for bhajans and kirtan (songs repeating God’s names).

196. I emphasize work – karma yoga. The real bhajan is to do work. An idle man is like a corpse. You must work.

197. Make ashrams. As there are islands in the sea, you should make ashrams in the ocean of the material world. Do not make small ashrams, like individual huts, but big, central ashrams, where many people can gather and learn to work together.

198. All of you have worked very hard here, with love. Those who dedicate themselves to universal service are fortunate and great.

199. Morning and evening, you should spend time reading the scriptures and the literature of Herakhan.

200. It is everyone’s duty to enhance the beauty and cleanliness of the ashram. It is part of your yoga. To maintain peace and order in the ashram, everyone must see to it that no unwanted loafers come here. Nobody should use intoxicating drugs. Each of you should check such loafers and drug-users and sends them away from the ashram.

201. Everyone here is a soldier of Herakhan. Be dutiful for the sake of duty. Be prepared to make sacrifices; do not fear the floods and flames of life. Be alert and prepared to face changes. Give this message to your countrymen. The time has come! Do you understand? Be alert!

202. You must be diligent/persevering/hard working. Lethargy and laziness are bad. An idle man is like a corpse; only those who work hard are truly alive. To engage in work is the duty of everyone, whether rich or poor, high or low, old or young, man or woman. You should not hesitate to do the lowest kind of service, if it is needed. If a man of high position is prepared to perform any service – even the lowest service-he sets an example for others.

Flag of Tibet

On March 28 the Chinese authorities launched their annual Day of “freedom from slavery,” to commemorate the Chinese victory over a Tibetan revolt that, 50 years ago, sent the Dalai Lama into exile. But in Dharamsala, the headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile, today is being lived as a “day of mourning,” and Beijing is being accused of conducting “propaganda.” (Spero News)

Link

Activists of CPN-UML, an ally of Prachanda government, and ruling Maoists’ youth wing on Saturday defied indefinite curfew imposed by the administration in western Nepal following a dispute between the two organisations over the killing of an UML cadre. (Hindu News)

http://tinyurl.com/dzfw4s

Krishna. How has this weakness taken you? From where does the inglorious trouble spring forth, shameful to the brave, barring the path of virtue? Arjun! Forbid yourself to feebleness! It tarnishes your warrior-name! Cast off the cowardly attitude! Awake! Be yourself! Arise, scourge of your foes!

Arjuna. How can I, in the battle, shoot with shafts on Bhishma, or on Drona- O you Chief!- Both worshipful, both honourable men?

Better to live on beggar’s bread with those we love alive, than taste their blood in rich feasts spread, and guiltily survive! Ah! were it worse- who knows?- to be victor or vanquished here, when those confront us angrily whose death leaves living drear? In pity lost, by doubtings tossed, my thoughts- distracted- turn to you, the Guide I reverence most, that I may learn of your counsel: I know not what would heal the grief burned into soul and sense, if I were earth’s unchallenged chief- a god- and these gone from here!

So spoke Arjuna to the Lord of Hearts, and sighing, “I will not fight!” held silence then. To whom, with tender smile, O Bharata! While the Prince wept despairing concerning those hosts, Krishna made answer in this divine verse:

Krishna. You grieve where no grief should be! You speak words lacking wisdom! For the wise in heart mourn not for those that live, nor those that die. Nor I, nor you, nor any one of these, ever was not, nor ever will not be, for ever and for ever afterwards. All, that does live, lives always! To man’s frame as there come infancy and youth and age, so come there raisings-up and layings-down of other and of other life-abodes, which the wise know, and fear not. This that irks- your sense-life, thrilling to the elements- bringing you heat and cold, sorrows and joys, ‘This brief and mutable! Bear with it, Prince! As the wise bear. The soul which is not moved, the soul that with a strong and constant calm takes sorrow and takes joy indifferently, lives in the life undying! That which is can never cease to be; that which is not will not exist. To see this truth of both is theirs who part essence from accident, substance from shadow. indestructible, Learn from this! The Life is, spreading life through all; it cannot anywhere, by any means, be any way diminished, stayed, or changed.

But for these fleeting frames which it informs with spirit deathless, endless, infinite, they perish. Let them perish, Prince! and fight! He who shall say, “Look! I have slain a man!” He who shall think, “Look! I am slain!” those both know nothing! Life cannot be destroyed. Life is not destroyed by man! Never the spirit was born; the spirit shall cease to be never; never was time it was not; end and beginning are dreams of men! Such concepts are not shared in heaven. Birthless and deathless and changeless remains the spirit for ever unless the Devata Himself annihilates it – for He is All-Powerful; death has not touched it at all by man, dead though the house of it seems! He who knows that the spirit can not be exhausted by man, it being immortal, indestructible,- shall not say, “I have killed a man, or caused to kill?”

Therefore, I say to you that weapons can not destroy the life of a spirit; flames do not burn it, waters cannot overwhelm it, nor dry winds wither it. Impenetrable, un-entered, un-assailed, unharmed, untouched, immortal, all-arriving, stable, sure, invisible, by word and thought un-compassed, ever all itself, thus is the soul declared! How will you, then,- knowing it so,- grieve when you should not grieve? How, if you hear that the man new-dead is, like the man new-born, still living man- one same, existent spirit- will you weep?

The end of birth is death; the end of death is birth: this is ordained! and you mourn, chief of the stalwart arm! for what befalls which could not otherwise befall? The birth of living things comes unperceived; the death comes unperceived; between them, beings perceive: what is there sorrowful herein, dear prince?

Wonderful, wistful, to contemplate! Difficult, doubtful, to speak upon! Strange and great for tongue to relate, mystical hearing for every one! What a marvel it is, when seeing, and saying, and hearing are done!

This Life within all living things hides beyond harm; scorn you to suffer, then, for that which cannot suffer. Do your part! Be mindful of your name, and tremble not! Nothing better can betide a martial soul than lawful war; happy the warrior to whom comes joy of battle- comes, as now, glorious and fair, unsought; opening for him a gateway to heaven. But, if you shun this honourable field- a Kshattriya- if, knowing your duty and your task, you bid duty and task go by- that shall be sin! And those to come shall speak you infamy from age to age; but infamy is worse for men of noble blood to bear than death! The chiefs upon their battle-chariots will deem it was fear that drove you from the fray. Of those who held you mighty-souled the scorn you must abide, while all your enemies will scatter bitter speech of you, to mock the valour which you had; what fate could fall more grievously than this? Either- being killed-you wilt win Swarga’s safety, or- alive and victor- you wilt reign an earthly king.

Therefore, arise, son of Kunti! Brace your arm for conflict, nerve your heart to meet- as things alike to you- pleasure or pain, profit or ruin, victory or defeat: so minded, gird to the fight, for so you shall not sin!

Hear now the deeper teaching of the Yog, which holding, understanding, you shall burst your Karmabandh, the bondage of accumulated deeds. Here shall no end be hindered, no hope marred, no loss be feared: faith- yes, a little faith- shall save you from the anguish of your dread. Here, Glory of the Kurus! shines one rule- one steadfast rule- while shifting souls have laws many and hard. Specious, but wrongful deem the speech of those ill-taught ones who extol the letter of their texts, saying, “This is all we have, or need;” being weak at heart with wants, seekers of heaven: which comes- they say- as “fruit of good deeds done;” promising men much profit in so-called new births for works of faith; in various rites abounding.  There’s is not satya.

But you are not like their devotees.  Thus, find full reward of doing right in right! Let right deeds be your motive, not the fruit which comes from them. And live in action! Labour! Make your acts your piety, casting all self aside, contemning gain and merit; equable in good or evil: equability is Yog, is piety! Yet, the right act is less, far less, than the right-thinking mind.
Seek refuge from heaven! Scorn them that follow virtue for gifts alone! The mind of pure devotion- even here- casts equally aside good deeds and bad, passing above them to pure devotion devote yourself: with perfect meditation comes perfect act, and the right-hearted rise- more certainly because they seek no gain- forth from the bands of body, step by step, to highest seats of bliss. When your firm soul has shaken off those tangled oracles which ignorantly guide, then shall it soar to high neglect of what is denied or said, this way or that way, in doctrinal texts. Troubled no longer by the lore of the priests, safe shall it live, and sure; steadfastly bent on meditation. This is Yog- and Shanti!

Arjuna. What is his mark who has that steadfast heart, confirmed in holy meditation? How do we know his speech, Kesava? Sits he, moves he like other men?

Krishna. When one abandons desires which shake the mind- finds in his soul full comfort for his soul, he has attained the Yog- that man is such! In sorrows not dejected, and in joys not overjoyed; dwelling outside the stress of passion, fear, and anger; fixed in calms of lofty contemplation;- that man is Muni, is the Sage, the true recluse!

He who to none and nowhere overbound by ties of flesh, takes evil things and good neither despondent nor exulting, such bears the plainest mark of wisdom, he who shall draw as the wise tortoise draws its four feet safe under its shield, his five frail senses back under the spirit’s buckler from the world which else assails them, such a man has the mark of wisdom! Things that solicit sense hold off from the self-governed; it comes, the appetites of him who lives beyond- depart,- aroused no more. Yet may it chance, that a governed mind shall some time feel the sense-storms sweep, and wrest strong self-control by the roots. Let him regain his kingdom! Let him conquer this, and meditate on Me intently.

That man alone is wise who keeps the mastery of himself! If one ponders on objects of the sense, there springs attraction; from attraction grows desire, desire flames to fierce passion, passion breeds recklessness; then the memory- all betrayed- lets noble purpose go, and saps the mind, till purpose, mind, and man are all undone.

But, if one deals with objects of the sense not loving and not hating, making them serve his free soul, such a man comes to tranquillity; and out of that tranquillity shall rise the end and healing of his earthly pains, since the will governed sets the soul at peace.

The soul of the ungoverned is not his, nor has he knowledge of himself; which lacked, how grows serenity? And, wanting that, how shall he hope for happiness? The mind that gives itself to follow shows of sense sees its helm of wisdom rent away, and, like a ship in waves of whirlwind, drives to wreck and death. Only with him whose senses are not swayed by things of sense- only with him who holds his mastery, shows wisdom perfect. What is midnight-gloom to unenlightened souls shines wakeful day to his clear gaze; what seems as wakeful day is known for night, thick night of ignorance, to his true-seeing eyes. Such is the saint!

And like the ocean, day by day receiving floods from all lands, which never overflows; its boundary-line not leaping, and not leaving, fed by the rivers, but not swelled by those;- so is the perfect one! To the ocean of his soul the world of sense pours streams of many things, they leave him as they find, without commotion, taking their tribute, but remaining sea.

Whoever shakes off the yoke of flesh lives supreme, not a servant of his lusts; set free from pride, from passion, from the sin of “self,” he touches tranquillity!  That is the state of full realisation of truth! There rests no dread when that last step is reached! Live where he will, die when he may, such passes from one place to another, to blessed Nirvana, attaining residence in the heights of the Gods.

The New Gita

The Enlightenment that I am referring to is that which took place in Europe during the 17^th and 18^th centuries. While the ideas of this period had their benefits in certain realms of government, science, and social order, the catastrophic damage they wreaked upon the West’s view of religion and spirituality far outweighed their temporal usefulness. The men of this age who advocated for the ascendancy of reason hoodwinked a massive part of the world’s population, including themselves, into a mindset that would ultimately pollute the spiritual journeys of themselves and all of their progeny. Not only that, but echoes of these ideas have taken root throughout the East as well, and they threaten to cast their full shadow over these regions.

http://dharmakara1.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/the-curse-of-enlightenment/